Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-08-29
EAST PEARL ST. mErHoDrsTs
Turning Out I'm Large Numbers-The
Church Handsomely Painted Yes.
terday's Opening ServIces-The Debt
Raised.

The doors of the East Pearl street Metho.
morning, after the church had undergone
series of repairs and painting embellish
ments, during the weeks that the building
had been closed.
The main body of the church, although
not an especially large room, formerly looked
SO when there were none but glaring walls
of white to confront the attendants Now
the interior has been so vastly improved that
it cannot fail to attract. The degree of
cosiness, warmth and general attractiveness
which is now characteristic of the church
fills the attendants with pride, and they have
not failed to appreciate it by responding lib
orally from their pockets with money with
which to carry out the identifying of their
place of worship. In the first place, the
committee having the repairs in hand, decid-
ed to make very few. Work was begun on
the exterior, the building being given fresh
painting. Here the amount reached $500.
This amount was easily raised, and it was
urged that some changes be made on the in
terror. As the members of the church were
all enthusiastic in having the work done the
committee went ahead. An almost complete
transformation was made. Instead of the
bare white walls they were richly frescoed
and painted, the ceiling also undergoing a
change. The alcove just back of the pulpit,
where set the members of the choir, inten-
sites the beauty. The front of the choir
gallery has been made to represent black
walnut, while before it was oak. The seats
of the edifce carry with them fresh,
bright and shiny aspect After the commit
tee had got the body of the church done they
found that the Sunday school and other
rooms looked worse than ever before, and
they decided to finish up the entire church.
Il was done and the work has been complet-
ed at a cost of 81 ,525.
Yesterday morning the church was well
filed. Nearly every seat was occupied and
the ushers were kept in a mild state of con-
fusion as to where to put all who came; and
people came streaming in after the services
commenced. Rev. Mr.. Goodenough, the
regular pastor, Rev. w. Fl. Wardell, the pre-
siding elder, and Rev. DR.. w. D. Clark of
! Norwalk occupied seats on the chancel. The
pastor said few words to the congregation,
expressing himself as pleased to be back
again, after which the opening doxology
was sung. Reading responsively scriptural
selection and singing of hymn by the con,
gregation followed. Rev. Mr. Clark offered
fervent prayer, full of thought and replete
with eloquence. A selection by the choir,
which is composed of ten female and five
male voices, was rendered with that degree
of symphonious excellence pleasant to con-
template.
Rev. Mr. Goodenough read letter from
Rev. Mr.. LOOMS and one from the Rev. Mr..
Cunningham in response to an invitation ex
tended them to be present on this happy &C.
casion. Both seriously regretted their
inability to be present. Presiding Elder
Wardell congratulated the members of the
church on the exquisite beauty of the place
and announced as his text Psalm cxix, 1919:
"Thy testimonies are wonderful; therefore
doth nv soul keen themD
1t seems to me ss though this psalm was
written by one in captivity, who let out all
his righteousness, for every verse teens with
precious sentiment. It seems as if it was
written by some Babylonian youth, who in
all his anguish still praises God. I want to
call your attention to one of the characters
tics of the Bible. It is that of unity. We
speak of the Bible as one book, and yet it
really is more than one; it is succession of
books. There is vital unity that makes the
sixty six books of the Bible as one. The
writings from Genesis to Revelations give us
the widest range. And when we come into
communion with these books We feel the
genuineness of their writings. We can see
the various prophets, face to face almost,
as we turn over the leaves to the various
books. We can feel our pulse quicken as we
read of Jesus. We can look with joy into
the door of heaven. The one essential
unity-binds them into one, and this book,
put into contrast with others, stands forth
alone and supreme. 1t came as if written by
one giving US the one promise of heaven.
Take it away and what have we? 1t leads us
to height which has no summit. These
books have figures of speech which are end
less. Go through the New Testament, for
instance. Of what more can you find from
Matthew through to the Revelations of judg-
ment9 It is wonderful book, and leads the
thought of the world. Translators say that
there is something peculiarly flexible in it
which makes the book easy of translation into
other languages. Mystery is sublimely blend
ed in the Bible. Let us, brethren, study this
book. It is open and full of life. There is
an authority which seems to speak through
it, something about which in its very pres
ence gives rebuke to sin. This is the au-
thority of Gods voice. o, friends, remem-
Der that these penalties and promises are
embued with power, and that this power is
meant to concentrate around the name of
Jesus. 1t is much like this symbol that you
see on yonder Validity word is truth
After the sermon the regular pastor said
few happy words about the beauty of the
church and what pleasure it was to him to
have it SO. He then announced that there
was yet some money to be raised TO defray
the expenses. Mr.. H. w. Crawford was
called on to announce what the standing on
the debt was. He said that the improve
ments cost in round numbers 81 ,525. The
amount that had been subscribed for was
$1,17503. The members of the committee
then went amongst the congregation and it
did not take long to have the desired amount
subscribed for.
The church was very prettily decorated
with flowers.
The evening service was opened by the
selection by the choir, "Come Unto Me-"
singing of hymns and reading of scripture
lesson, after which the Rev. DIR. W. w.
Clarke of Norwalk delivered very eloquent
and interesting sermon based on the text
found in Hebrews, 10, 1: "Whereof seeing we
also are comprised about with SO great a
cloud of witnesses, let Us lay aside every
weight, and the sun, which doth SO easily
beset US, and run with patience the race set
before u.s."
"The figure here used by st. Paul." said
the speaker, "the race course, is one which
in his day was very prominent one, and
everyone understood it. The racer was pre-
coded by a leading citizen who went before
and marked out the course which was to be
followed. The contestant must be a free
man(not bond)a also moral man, or he was
not eligible. All aloug the track were mot
toes of encouragement such as Excel"
"Press for the price, Fight on" etc., ''Try
for the goal" And SO it is with the Chris
tian, we are all pressing forward to the goal
which is heaven. We must lay aside all
weights and encumbrances. We have a
Saviour who has gone before and marked out
the way and who has left words of encour-
agement all along the road. Then we must
run, "not creep or even walk, but run on
ward and upward, always keeping in view
the goal. And then we must guard against
our besetting SINS" Tor as colored brother
once read, "our upsetting SINS y for our be-
setting sins certainly upset us and keep US
from enjoying our full privileges as Chris
tians and then when we reach the goal we
find Christ waiting and ready to give us the
crown of victory.
100000 Skunk skins.
Walter Durrie, grandson of Mrs. George
Durrie, has recently been visiting his grand
mother in Temple street. He is clerk in
large fur house in New York. Among the
skins they bought and sold the past year
were skunk skins, Of which they bought and
sold over six hundred thousand in one year
most of which were sold and went to Eng
land